1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a dispensing apparatus designed and configured to dispense and swath any substance, such as fertilizer, repellent, or the like, over a multiplicity of plants simultaneously for consequently reducing labor, costs and time generally associated with the dispensing process for treating a bulk of plants, crops or the like, typically located on farms, in nurseries, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fertilizing is of the utmost importance in maintaining and growing healthy and hearty plants for inherently producing an aesthetically pleasing and a beautiful and plentiful fruit/flowering product. Fertilizers provide the needed nutrients required for a healthy plant. Several products are out on the market to enable a proper supply of nutrients to any given plants, lawn grass, crops, or the like. Many of these products consist of a chemical solution, which can be placed on the soil surrounding the plant, or optionally can be mixed with water to produce a solution. In either method, an even distribution is difficult to obtain and its fumes may be hazardous to the distributor. In addition, the plant may receive too much fertilizer, inadvertently harming the plant, or too little fertilizer, which will hinder the plant from thriving as well as not promote an effective growth. Additionally, the use of such methods can be laborious, hazardous, and at times can even be difficult and awkward to perform in order to obtain the optimum use of substance for the growing product, especially when applying over a large area, such as a field, nursery or the like.
As such, apparatus have been developed to enable a plurality of plants to be sprayed, simultaneously. One such apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,833 issued to Gandrud et al. In this patent, there is disclosed a complicated dispensing device which, includes several components for its frame member. This patent may provide a means of dispensing a chemical, but it fails to disclose a device simple in design and easy to utilize. A complicated device, such as the one disclosed in this patent, will provide an apparatus with increase components and which will inherently provide for an increase in component failure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,757 there is disclosed yet another complex, yet foldable, sprayer. This apparatus comprises two wing booms, a left and right, which are controlled independently from one another via hydraulic cylinders. Thereby allowing the operator to utilize either the left boom, right boom, or optionally, both booms simultaneously. The sprayer mechanism in this apparatus comprises a conduit having a conventional spray head attached thereto. This will permit for fluid to be stored in a central holding tank. Such an arrangement provides an apparatus which appears to be used for dispensing a singular type of fluid. Thereby, prohibiting other types of chemicals to be used with this particular apparatus unless extensive cleaning of the holding tank, conduits and sprayers must be accomplish prior to use of a different type of cleaner. In addition, since conventional hoppers are not used, it may not be difficult for the user to estimate and determine the actual amount of fluid/graduals needed to cover a particular area. Further, the use of left and right booms provides an apparatus that may be difficult and awkward to maneuver.
Hence, what is needed is an apparatus which will adequately and efficiently dispense a substance, such as fertilizer, or the like, utilizing a minimal amount of labor and at a reasonable cost for distribution. Such an apparatus should be of simple construction so as to provide a device which is successful and that can be used with a minimal amount of training.
Accordingly, it is seen that none of these previous efforts provide the benefits intended with the present invention, such as identified above. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art device through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available material.